Coupling hook



Aug. 31, 1943.

A. J. HIGGINS ET AL COUPLING HCOK Filed Aug. 12, 1942 wow Patented Aug. 3 1

Andrew Jackson Higgins and John New Orleans, La. V

M. Poche,

Application August 12, 1942, Serial No. 454,619

3 Claims.

in the success or failure of a mission.

' The primary object of the present invention is to provides coupling hook'which is positively locked to prevent accidental uncoupling as long as the weight of the boat is upon the hook, but which permits quick andeas'y release when the boat has reached the water and its weight is no longer supported by the hook. It is contemplated that the release means be operable either from the small boat or from the deck of the mothership, and that the operation of, the release shall automatically open-the hook to ensure the complete releaseof the 'boat from the gear.

' It is a further object to provide a hook which .may be duickly operated to attach the boat to hoisting gear for lifting the boat from the water, and which will become locked as soon as the weight of the boat is put upon the hook.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

In'the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification, and in which like reference numerals have been used to identify like parts throughout? Figure l is a side elevation of a coupling hook embodying the principles of the present invention; and

- Figure 2 is an edge view of the hook.

Although the coupling hook of this invention is particularly designed for use with boat-lowering gear, its utility is not confined to that field alone but is adaptable for use withany hoisting gear or wherever substantial weights are to be,

lifted or moved and must be readily coupled to and uncoupled from the falls or tac e used.

Referring now to the drawing, the k takes .the form of a shank I provided with n eye 2 at .its upper end for permanentattachment t the falls or'tackle of the particular hoisting gear with which it is to be used and of whichit becomes a part. The lower'end of the shank is bifurcated to provide the legs 3 and 4 which embrace one end or a swinging jaw member 5, a bolt 6 passing I through legs 3' and 4 and the interposed jaw member plvotally joins the shank and jaw.

The jaw 5 is freely swingable about the pivot' pin 6, and, unless held in its upper or closed position, wi1l drop of its own weight, straightening out the hook. A toggle latch mechanism, comprising a pair of parallel link 1 and 8 and a keeper 9 pivoted between the ends of the link by means of the pin Ill, is pivotally connected to the' shank l midway between its ends by a bolt, II. The shank I, keeper 9, and the widest part of the jaw 5 are all of substantially the same crosssectional width and the links 1 and 8, being fairly close to the sides of the shank, closely embrace the sides of the jaw and prevent lateral movement. The free end of the jaw is recessed to conform to the shape of the keeper 9, which fits within the recess, the links I and .8 tieing the keeper to the shank of the hook and locking the jaw in its upper position.

The keeper 9 is slotted from its outer end inwardly, and a pin I2 is put through the keeper across the slot providing anchorage for a tripper rope l3 which-passes up and over a sheave l4 joumalled between ears l5 extending from the eye '2. This rope may beled down into -the boat being lowered into the water to be operated by a member of the boat crew, or may be retained on the deck of the larger vessel and operated from there. In either event a jerk upon the rope exerts an upward pull on the keeper 9."

Whenthe' hook is to be coupled to a boat to be lifted it is in its release position, 'as is shown in dotted lines in Figure l, and the free end of the jaw is passed thLlgh an eye or loop J6 attached to the boat, the jaw turned to its closed position, and the latch mechanism swung into place with the keeper 9 dropping in the recess at the free end of the jaw. As the hook is lifted the weight of the boat settles upon the jaw, tending to rotate the jaw about its pivot and forcing it against the keeper, presenting a triangular distribution of iorces app ortioned between the pivots 6, l0 and a The pivot 0 as a center, at the point of intersection of the .arc and a line between the centers of the pivots 6 and III. The line of thrust of the jaw ter line or the keeper, curves smoothly upward bottom I! of the recess in the jaw is sub- .stantially tangential to snare struck from the to form an extended finger 59. The companion face of the recess in the jaw curves similarly, providing a curved faced overhanding flange 2t. Ihe overhang of the flange 20 is sufliciently great to prevent the links 1 and 8 and the keeper 9 from swinging upwardly to release the jaw without the jaw first pivoting back closer to the shank to provide the necessary clearance. This would be practically impossible with the boathanging from the hook, as the entire weight of the'daoat would have to be lifted to move the jaw.

However, when the boat has settled upon the water and its weight is no longer carried by the hook, a comparatively light jerk upon the rope It will cause the keeper 9 to cam upward about the curved face of the jaw flange 20, moving the jaw back to permit the swing of the links and releasing the jaw from the latch mechanism. Ordinarily the jaw when released will drop immediately by its own weight, but there may be times when the pivot of the jaw has become rusty, or from some other cause the jaw may not swin 'freely. To provide for such occasions, a projection 25 juts from the shank i to form a stop for the keeper, and upon which the keeper fulcrums as the line it is drawn tight, as is shown in dotted line in Figure 1. As the keeper fulcrums, the finger l9 will strike the jaw," kicking it downward to ensure the straightening ou of the hook.

While we have in the above description disclosed what we believe to be preferred and practical embodiments of the invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the variousmodifications in the construction. and arrangement of parts will readily suggest themposition.

selves but within the scope'of the invention as claimed. I

What we claim is:'

l. A coupling hook comprising, a shank, a jaw member pivotally connected at one end to the shank and having a recess in its other or free end, and latch mechanism comprising a link pivoted at one end to the shank andhaving a keeper pivotally connected to its other end,'the said keeper fitting within the recess in the free end of the jaw to lock the jaw in weight-supporting 2. A coupling hook comprising, a shank, a, jaw member pivotally connected at one end to the shank and having a recess in its other or free end, and latch mechanism comprising a, link pivoted at one end to the shank and having a keeper pivotally connected to its other end, the said keeper fitting within the recess in the free end of the jaw to lock the jaw in weight-supporting position, and means to trip the latch mechanism to release the jaw.

3. A coupling hook comprisin a shank, a jaw member pivotally connected at one end to the shank and having a recess 'in its other or free end, latch mechanism comprising a'link'pivoted at one end to the shank and having a keeper pivotally connected to its other end, the said keeper fitting within the recess in the free end of the jaw to lock the jaw in weight-supporting position, means to trip the latch mechanism to release the jaw, and means to cause the keeper to strike the jaw as it is released to assist in opening the hook.

ANDREW JACKSON HIGGINS. JOHN M. POCHE. 

